The Ministry of Health, World Health Organization in partnership with the Infectious Diseases Institute has trained health workers in Kiryandongo district on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). The 5 days training which started on Monday April 29,2019 and ended on Friday May 03, 2019 is a preparedness activity by World Health Organisation in 22 high risk and refugee hosting districts following an Ebola virus outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Among the key topics in IPC training was hand hygiene, sharps safety, waste management, quality improvement and use of personal protective equipment to reduce risks of infections on the patients and the health workers themselves.
According to Dr. Arnold Bakabwoyaka of Global Health Security IDI, infection prevention and control is a barrier to transmission in an Ebola outbreak setting and is a key determinant of how the disease spreads and how it can be controlled. Dr. Arnold also asked the participants to put what they have learnt into practice because it will help in protecting them and the patients against infections.
The training is intended to build the capacity of frontline public health workers at all levels in Kiryandongo district for infection prevention with emphasis on Ebola virus disease. “I have learnt a lot from this training; I need to protect myself; I need to protect the patients and I need to protect others. As a nurse I need to segregate wastes and label on dust bins so as to protect the waste handlers.” Said Roseline Ayigi a principal Nursing Officer at Kiryandongo General Hospital.
However, Dr. Imaam Mutyaba the District health Officer is worried of private health practitioners who care less about Infection Prevention and Control. Dr.Mutyaba called upon development partners to support the District in training the private health practioners in IPC since most cases of epidermics are first handled by them. “ I call upon partners to support us in training the private health practitioners because when we train public health practitioners only then we have done nothing since most of these epidermics start from the community at private facilities.” Dr.Mutyaba said.
Infection prevention and control is not only for Ebola virus but also for purposes of reducing all kinds of infections in the health fracilities.